I was fortunate to be in and around Munich last week for Starkbierzeit. Here are a few pix and comments. Tuesday night at the Hackerhaus for Animator Hackerhaus was fairly dead so we headed to Weisses to end the evening with Hopfenweisse. Wednesday was a side trip to Bamberg, arriving about noon. Bambergator at Fassla is a fall beer so we struck out there and went to Schlenkerla for lunch and Fastenbier. Fastenbier was a disappointment (as a direct comparison to the Marzen) as I expected something different after reading other reviews here. I didn't find it that much different in the first mug so I had to sample another... The weather was nice so we tried Spezial Keller but they were closed....off to Mahr's. We sat at the long table, trying to drink our share of U and met several new friends. One of our new friends gave us some free bier tickets. Back by the WC this poster was on the wall, sorry for the blurry image. The poster shows the mats of the surrounding breweries - any one know if these are available and where? Thursday we made our pilgrimage to the holy mountain, walking up through the woods. That same night we went to the Augustiner by the Hauptbahnhof for our first Starkbierzeit event. Think Oktoberfest dancing on the benches but packed into the keller. The Maximator was just ok in my opinion, thin and not real flavorful even after warming up. We passed on Nockherberg Friday as we didn't have reservations and the crowd is reported to be really wild due to the low entry price and much younger crowd. We consoled ourselves with another evening at Weisses. Staurday night was another event at Löwenbräu. The large keller is beautiful place. The pix are the stage, side wall and looking away from the stage. These are just after the doors opened - it was packed shortly after. They had the stone lifting and Miss Triumphator contests. Triumphator was again, just ok. After reading that the solids content of these biers to be the same as 1/3 a loaf of bread, I expected them to be heavier. Sunday was breakfast at Weisses (get there before 9:45 at the latest) for weissewurst and weisse bier, preferred from the flasche. Went to Freising to visit Weihnstaphan and then to Weissbraeu Huber. The dunkles is always from the flasche and is excellent, similar to a Schneider in color and taste but not as spicy - my favorite new-to-me bier of the trip. The food at Huber is very, very good with daily specials. There are good pix on their website, http://www.weissbraeu-huber.de/ I did not get to try any Airbrau as they weren't open both times we went thru the airport. Starkbierzeit is very similar to Oktoberfest for the party atmosphere but lacks the awesome scale. We had a good time but drank much better beer other places.
Have you attended Starkbierzeit before? You mentioned several times that the various beers you drank were just OK, is this an artifact of the beers changing over time? In other words, did you enjoy these beers more in the past? Cheers!
This is actually why it appeals to me in general is that it's generally not filled with drunken tourists, but rather the local Munich population. A real bayerische "Gaudi" !
I have not been to Starkbierzeit before so my comments are based on comparisons. I was expecting something more like a Belgian or Amerikan high gravity, heavy mouthfeel bier. I would rather have an Aventinus, Schlenkerla, even the Huber Dunkles than any of the 'tor biers. I'm not knocking, just giving my opinion. For Oktoberfest it's just incredible that there is something so large, with all of the buildings, so focused on bier - the size and scope is what i find awesome. The older, tiny in comparison crowd at Lowenbrau was having a great time, lots of Trachten worn and having a great time. All of these events are great, I wish we had similar in the US.
It seems like you mainly had Munich Bockbiers. If so- I see where you are coming from. Except Augustiners Maximator, I'm not a fan of them as well. But the Bamberg, or in general franconian, Bockbiers are a true delight, with way more character than their "bavarian counterparts"...
If you find these anywhere, let me know. I saw one last year at a brewery in Ausfeß. I looked for one online after I got home but had no luck.
I have a similar one... bought it in a book/gift shop in Bamberg, a number of years ago. I believe I have still seen it in shops there recently.... Prosit!
I think I've tried Celebrator but don't remember it. I didn't realize until the train ride back to the airport that Aying is connected to the MVV system - I should have side tripped there. I'll try to catch Ayinger and Tergensee in June. There is a pretty good souvenir shop right by Schlenkerla, maybe they have it...
I am inclined to think that overall you are not a fan of the Doppelbock beer style. Is that a fair statement? Cheers!
Although within the same "style", I'd argue that Löwenbräu Triumphator and Fässla Bambergator are very different beasts and taste very different...
I found this link today for the bierland franken: http://beerinnprint.co.uk/description.php?prodid=22
I would recommend that you try Celebrator (again). This just might be a -tor beer that you like? Cheers!
That site indicates the poster is "size: 12 x 19cm" which is about 5 x 8 inches. I that is correct that is more like a postcard than a poster. Those dimensions can't be correct can they? Cheers!
